Party telephone-line.



No. 811,692. PATENTED FEB. 6, 1906.

B. A. BUBLL.

PARTY TELEPHONE LINE. AIfPLIOATIOH mm) MAY 1. 1905.

,ators into the line-circuit, but, if it stored to itsnor'mal con EDWARDA. BUELL, OF

DEKALB, ILLINOIS.

PARTY TELEPHONE-LINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1906.

Application filed M y 1, 1906. Serial No. 258,2?6.

To all whom it may concern: A

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. BUELL, a

citizen of Canada, residing at Dekalb, in the county of, Dekalband Stateof Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in PartyTelephone-Lines, of which the following is a full, clear, description,reference bein had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of thisspecificatlon.

My invention relates to party tele honeline apparatus, and has for itsobject t e provision of an improved system and a paratus wherebysubscribers at the stations of a partyline are prevented from cuttininthe ap aratus at unselected stations when any other station orstations on the line have been selectively connected therewith. By meansof my invention the party line ap aratus may be very greatly simplified,wh' e all the re sultsflthat are desirable in party-line practice may beaccomplished, though I do not wish to be limited in all embodiments ofmy invention' to apparatus accomplishing all of the results hereinaftertobe set forth. By means of my invention .not onlymay the subscribers atunselected stations be prevented from cutting their telephones andsignaling genersired, the a paratus at all stations may be placed in seectedpositions by the operator, arty-l ne may be used as an orditheexchange, but whereby also they may signal each other without the aid ofthe 0 erator.

It is anot er object of my invention to control the association of thetelephonic apparatus at each-subscribers station with the telephone-lineby means of the magnets of the signal-receiving devices or bells,thereby reducmg the equipment and accomplishing certain advantages thatwill appear.

In practicing my invention I employ an electroma net, a switchcontrolling the telephone-circuit at each station, a lever deviceoperating the switch and operated when operated to tion to which it hasleasing device operated by another magnet for disengaging said detentfrom said lever mechanism when the ap ition of use whereby the switchcontrolling the telephone conconcise, and exactis so deet, preferablythe ringing-magby said electromag net, a detentenga ing the levermechanism old the same in the posi-. contact 18, the switchspr ng beenactuated, and a re- 'duetneao t aratus is; to be, re-

l nections is restored to its normal position, in

fvhich the telephone is disassociated from the me. p Y

I will explain'my invention more fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, showin the preferred embodiment thereof, so muc of the exchangeand line e uipment being-shown as is necessaryto an un erstandm of mypresent invention.

e party telephone-line illustrated is a metallic line, though I do notwish to be limitedto a metallic circuit. from an exchange in two limbs 12 to a rality of substations on the party-line, the apparatus at stationA being illustrated somewhat fully, the apparatus at station B and otherstations being generally similar thereto.

Before-describing the exchange equipment that I preferably em 10 theapparatus at station A-will be set 'ort is placed in bridge of theparty-line by means of bridging conductors 3 4, &c. At each stationthere is a switch-hook 5, in this instance electrically disconnectedfrom the line at all times, thoughnot necessarily so in all embodimentsof my invention. -When the receiver isin plac -upon its switch-hook, thecontacts 6 7 8 aredisconnected; but when the receiver is removed fromits hook these contacts are all connected, whereby the localbattery-circuit containing the transmitter 9, the battery 10, and theprimary 11 is closed, the invention being however, not limited tosubstation equipment includingsuch local transmitter-circuits. One sideof the line isat the same time connected b way of the conductor 4 withone termina through condenser 12, the switches or contacts f 8 7 6, andthe secondary winding 13 of the inof the receiver,

duction-coil. The other terminal of the re-' with the other side' of theparty-line, when the switch element 14 is connected with the lever 15upon-the'operation of said lever.

wThe te ep hone receiver has connections that may be traced as follows:from one ter-i minal of the receiver to the lever 15, the

sprin .or contact 16 normally engaged thereby, t e. conductor 17,theswltch spring, or

or contact 19 normally en agedjb the element 18, the conhe win g of theringer or bell magnet 21, the conductor 22,110 the condenser 12, thecontacts 18 19 normally preventing the telephone from bein operatlvelycut into circuit, these contacts "0 osing a shunt about The line extendsplu- This apparatus ceiver is connected by way of the conductor 3 I:

foo

,serves'to 0 the subscriber s telephone outfit when a sta-' tion isunselected and when he removes his telephone-receiver from its hook, theselecting apparatus being. at zero. Incoming signaling current isnormally prevented from passing through thebell-magnet 21 when theapparatus is in an unselected condition, for t e path for such incomingcurrent would be interrupted at the normally se arated elements 14-15.When a subscri er initiates a call, he operates his generator 23, whichthereupon automatically closes an initial circuit that maybe traced fromthe spring-contact 24 of the generator by wa of the conductor 22 to themagnet 21, t e conductor 20, the elements 18 19 normally in contact,the'conductor 17, the contact 16 the lever 15,

the conductor 25, to the remaining terminal of the generator 23. i Thisis alocal circuit that erate the armature 26 of the magnet 21, whichthereupon engages the lever to move the same into connection with thecontact 14, whereby the current of the generator no longer has a localcircuit, but continues in its assage by way of the contact 14 and thecon uctor 27 and the conductor 3 to one side of the line, the other sideof the line being connected with the terminal 24, wherebygenerator-current may be impressed upon the line to operate the linesignal 28 at the exchange. After having signaled the exchange thesubscriber removes his receiver and includes his telephone outfit inbridge of the line by means of a bridge-circuit that may be traced fromthe conductor 3, the conductor 2 7, the contact 14, the lever "15, theconductor 25, the telephone outfit, and the conductor 4. As it ispreferred to hold the armature 26 in a position in which it does notremain in engagement, with the lever 15, I provide a detent 29, that isnormally 'sustained by the lever 15 out of interlocking relationtherewith, but is brought into mterlocking'relation with said leverwhenthe lever is operated to prevent the return of the lever untilsaiddetent is removed, as'will be set forth.

I have thus described the way inwhich a subscriber upon the party-linemay impress 'signalin -current thereon when he desires to signal t eoperator and how the said subscriber has 1115 tele hone outfit cut andmaintained in circuit re ationwitlrthe'line, which description willenable a more ready understandmg of the main features of my inventionnow more fully to appear.

At each station there is provided apolarized magnet 30 the permanentmagnet 31 of which polarizes the armature32 and the poles 33 34,desirably forming integral parts of the cores 35 36, mechanically andmag-- netically connected with the permanent magnet. The windings aboutthe cores 35 36 are disposed as in an ordinary'magneto-bell, so

that when the'current is impressed upon the abutment-p winding in onedirection the armature is moved in one direction and when the current isimpressed upon said winding in an opposite direction the armature ismoved in an opposite direction, the two halves of the windmg 30(one-half about the core 35 and the ot er half about the core 36) beingoppositely wound for this purpose.- The armature 32 is mounted uponashaft'38 and independentlymoving abutment-plates 39 are also mounted torotate u on the same shaft, springs 40 serving yie dingly to maintainsaid abutment-plates in t e positions shown, the armature rotatinagainst one or the other of the lates and'the force of its spring 40Adjustable stops 41 limit the extent towhich the plates 39 may be movedby the ar mature 32. An arm 42 is mounted upon the armature 32 andcarries a pawl 43, that is employed for moving the ratchet-wheel 44 stepby-step in a counter-clockwise direction,

a dog 45 preventing premature return of the wheel 44 by the spring 46.carries or operates a contact or brush 47, that constitutes a ringingcontact that is brought by the step-by-stepmovement of the wheel 44 intoconnection with another ringing contact 48. .The contacts 47 48 arespaced varying distances trons, so that each station requires its wheel44 to'be moved a number of steps differing Each wheel 44 apart at the.different stafrom the number of steps required at each of the stationsfor selectively effecting the connection thereat ofthe elements 47 48.The current is impressed upon the line at the ex-- chan e for the urposeof thus stepping the whee s 44 to se ecta station or stations, the

.number of pulsations or steps corresponding to the distance between theelements 47 48 of p the called subscriber whose bell is to be operated.f

Having brought the elements 47 48 at the station to be selectedtogether, the operator impresses ringing-current upon the line,

which finds circuit through the bell-magnet t 21'from the telephone-lineby way of the conductor 3, the contacts 47 48 at the selected station,the conductor'20, the winding of bellmagnet 21 and the conductors 22 4.The armature'26 in its first clockwise movement that thus ensuesengagesa portion of thelever structure 15 to move said lever intoelectrical connection with the contact 14, there partially to establishthe telephonic circuit of the selectedsubscriber, this telephoniccircuit being completed when the called-subscribers receiver is removedfrom its switch-hook. In

order that the lever 15 may be maintained in this-position during thetime the subscriber is to have telephonic connection with the line, thedetent 29 drops behind the lever to secure the new relation between theelements 14 15. The armature 26 may continue to operate, notwithstandingthe lever mechanism 15, as long as calling-current is impressed upon theline. When the station is idle, and

in order to permit thesubscriber to signal over the 'line, the contacts15 16'are main tained together by the spring 49.

A spring 50 is preferably employed to maintain the armature 26 out ofengagement with the lever device 15, as indicated. Whenselecting-eurrent is impressed upon the line, the posts 47 at allstations are removed from mechanical engagement with the springs 18,(these posts "never'being electrically connected with said springs,) sothat generator-circuits at all substations, except thecalled-subscribers sta: tion, are open; whereby none but the calledsubscriber may impress signaling-current upon the line. The calledsubscriber is thus enabled tov send clearing-out sigi1alingcurrent tothe operator. The detent .29 is placed behind the lever 15.0nly at aselected station,

and in order that the selected subscriber may impress clearingoutsignaling-current upon the line Whether or not the elements 47 48 are inengagement I provide a supplemental contact 51, that is brought intoengagementwith the contact 14 at 'the selected stationthrough the agencyof the lever 15 when moved by the armature 26, connection vfor whichgenerator 23 is established with the line when said generator isoperated at said elements 51 14. As the levers 15 at unselected stationsare maintained in their normal positions; the subscribers telephoniccon-' nections with the line are maintained open at the unselectedstations at the elements 15 14, so that the subscribers at suchunselected stations cannot listen in or in any manner interfere withconversation carried on over the line. To eliminate-the possibility ofthe sub- .scribers hearin because of leakage of the voice-currents,Talso provide at eachstationa supplemental contact 52, with which thespring 18 engages when said spring is mechanically separated from thepost 47, whereby all of the telephonic outfit at each unselectedsubscriber's station is slmrt-circuited. The

,generatorat each unselected station is also short-circuited by thissame means. It

should be stated that the generators 23 are incapable of furnishingcurrent of sufficient stren th to operate the magnet 30; nor is the slna ing-current furnished from the central 0 cc sufficiently stron tooperate sald magresistance wlth respect to the magnet 21.

I have thus d escrlbed how subscribers upon a party-line may be selectedand how the apparatus at unselected subscribers stations may be dssoclated from the l ne to prevent the subscribers thereat frominterfering with mav be restored to their normal positions.

eleasing-current is im ressed by the op 'erator upon the line, wine 1current has a i. i

rection opposite to the selecting-current previously impressed upon'theline, the releas ing-current eiiecting the counter-clockwise rotation ofthe armature 32, whereby the tail of the pawl 43 strikes the pin 53 toremove said pawl from the wheel 44, the lower end of the arm 4-2 at thesame time engaging the tail of the dog 45 to disengage said dog from thewheel 44, whereimon the spring 46 will restore the wheel 44 to itsinitial position wherein the post 47 mechani ally (but not electrically)engages the spring 18 to bring said spring into engagement with thecontact I!) and remove the same from engagement with the contact 52.This operation occurs at all stations. At the selected station the lowerend of the arm 42 engages an extension of the detent 29 to remove saiddetent from engagement with the lever 15, permitting the spring 49 torestore said lever to its initial position.

ii" it is desired to have the party-line and the apparatus of thesubstations therconjso related that the subscribers may communicatewith, each other, the operator may place the elements 47 48 at eachstation successively in electrical connection, whereby the genera-- tors23, the bell-magnets 2i, and the telephone outfits at the differentstations are so related to the line and the telephonic apparatus thatthe subscribers may signal and comn-Iunicatewith each other without theaid of the operator. In accomplishing this result the'operator firstselects station No. l, at

which the distance between the elements -17 10c substation to move thelever 15 and permit- 48 is the least, and then rings the bell of saidthe detent 29 to fall. behind the same, so as to secure normalconnection between the contacts 51 and .14. The operator then places thecontacts 47 at the next station in co'n nection and rings the bell atthis station to bring the elements 51 and 14 at said latter station intoconnection, and so on throughout the series of stations or throughout asmany of such stations which are to have the capacityofintercoinmunicating without further engi'igenient are adapted toconnect their telephone outfits with the line without further aid of theoperator. In this way a part linemay normally connect two or more subscribcrs who have the capacity of communieating with each other withoutfurther aid of the operator, while the rest of the subscribersmayrequire cm'iperation oi the operator.

is apparent that for the purpose of securing this normnl-relation ofsubscribers stations with the hue the elements 4.? it; thereat need.phone outfit with the line 156, and an operators I connected.

It is always well for the operator before selecting .a subscriber tosend releasing-current over the line to make sure that all of thedetents 29 and levers 15 are in their normal pov sitions, for prior tosuch selection some subscriber may have wantonly operated his generator23 just enough to move the armature 26, and thereby insure theassociation of his teleand without oper ating the line-indicator.

Any suitable telephone-exchange equi ment may be employed for carryingout t e operations above described. I have shown a well-knowncord-circuit equipment 54, hav ing an answering-pm 55, a connecting-plugicy 57, which key when its wedge is moved to the left serves toassociate the operators telephone outfit 58 with line and when moved tothe light serves either to connect the source of alternating or othersource of. signaling-current 59 or the battery 60 with the line. Thebattery 60 is employed for the purpose of sending selecting current orreleasing-current over the line, the wedge'of the master-key 61 whenmoved to the left serving so to connect the battery 60 that it will sendselecting-current over the line and when moved to the light will reversethe connection of said battery with the line to send releasing-current'thereover. When the signaling-current is directed over the line,

the master-kc isin its central position.

While the ever 15 is mechanicallyoper ated by the bell, the generator 23when operated is the agency that causes the bell to actuate said lever,and I do not, therefore,wish to be limited inall embodiments of theinvention to the direct control of the lever 15 by the bell mechanism.

While I prefer the precise mechanism 15 and 29 and their associate artsforpreventing operative association etween the telephones and thesignaling-generators with the line at unselected stations, I do not Wishto be limited thereto.

While element 15 is adapted to form parts of electrical circuits, hereinshown, I do not wish to be limited to this function for this element.

It is obvious that many changes may be made without departing from thespirit of my invention, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited toth *ecise construction, arrangement, and cir ;-s:herein shown; but,

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1 1. A telephone exchange system, includm a party-lineextending from a pluralit of subscribers stations to an exchange, eachof said subscribers stations having a signal bell or receiver, asignaling-generator, switching apparatus for controlling the associationof the signaling-generator and signal-receiver with the line, selectivemechanism governing the said switching apparatus and serving,

tion with the line.

2; A telephone-exchange system, includinga party-line extending from apluralit of S11 scribersstations to an exchange, eac of said subscribersstations having a signal bell or receiver, a signaling-generator,switching apparatus for controllingthe association of t esignaling-generator, signal-receiver and telephone with the line,selective mechanism governing the said switching apparatus and serving,when in an unselected condition, to

effect dissociation between the signal-receiver, thesignalingegenerator, the telephone, and the line, and, when in aselected position, to bring about the association of said si alreceiver,signaling-generator and tele one with the line, and apparatus at the excange for operating the selective mechanism at the different stations,whereby the s tching ap paratus at the different stations ay be operatedto place the signal-receivers, signaling-generators and telephonesthereat in connection with the line.

3. Atelephone-exchange system, includin? a party-line extending from apluralit of su scribers stations to an exchange, eac 1 of saidsubscribers stations having a signalinggenerator, a signalbell orreceiver, switching apparatus for controlling the association of thesignaling-generator and telephone with the line, selective mechanismgoverning the said switching apparatus andrser-vin when in an unselectedcondition, to effect issociation between the signa'linggenerator thetelephone, and the line, and, when in a selected position, to bringabout the association of said signaling-generator and tele hone with theline, and apparatus at the exc ange for operating the selectivemechanism at the different'stations, whereby the switching apparatus atthe different stations may be operated to place the signaling-generatorsand {zelephones thereat in connection with the 4. A telephone-line,having a plurality of tion including a signal-receiver, asignaling--generator normally in operative relation therewith, and switchingapparatus governing the association of the signal-receiverandtelephonethereat with the line and operated by the signal-receiver.

5 A telephone-line, having a plurality of subscribers stations thereonto constitute the same a party-1ine, each subscribers station includinga signal-receiver, a signalinggenerator normally in operative relationtherewith, and switching apparatus governing the association of thesignal-receiver thereat with the, line and operated by thesignal-receiver.

6. A telephone-line, having a plurality of subscribers" stations thereonto constitute the same a party-line, selective mechanism at eachstation, a signal bell or receiver and switching apparatus at eachstation governing the associatlon of the signal-receiver thereat withthe line and governed by the signal-re ceiver, and apparatus at theexchange for operating the selective mechanisms at the differentstations.

7. A telephone-line, having a plurality of subscribers stations thereonto constitute the same a party-line, selective mechanism at eachstation, a signal bell or receiver and switching apparatus at eachstation governmg the association of the signal-receiver and telephonethereat with the line and governed by the signal-receiver, and a paratusat the exchange for o crating the se ective mechan- 181118 at thediflerent stations.

8-, A subscribers station equipment, in-

cluding a signal-receiver, a signaling-generator normally in operativerelation with the signal receiver, and switching mechanism operated bythe signal-receiver and serving to control the association of thetelephone and, signaling-generator with the line.

9. A subscribers station equipment, including a signal-receiver, asignaling-generator normally in operative relation with the.

signal receiver, and switching mechanism operated by the signal receivcrand serving to control the association of the signal-receiver with theline. i

10. A subscribers station equipment, in eluding a signal-receiver, asignaling-generator normally in operative relation with'the signalreceiver, and switching mechanism operated by the signal-receiver andserving to control the associatmn of the telephone,

. signal-receiver and generator with the line.

11. A subscribers station equipment, including a signal-receiver, a s1nalmg-generator normally in operative re ation with'the signal receiver,and switching mechanism operated, by the signabreeeiver and serving tocontrol the association of the telephone and signal-receiver with theline.

/ ing a party-line extending 12. A subscribers station equipment, in-

eluding a signal-receiver, a signalingenerator normally in operativerelation with the signal receiver, and switching mechanism' cluding asignal-receiver, a slgnaling-generator, and switching mechanism operatedby the signaling-generator and servmg to control the association of thetelephone and signalingenerator with the line.

14. subseriberfs station equipment, 1ncluding a signal-receiver, asignaling-generator, and switching mechanism operated by thesignaling-generator and serving 'to control the association of thesignal-receiver with the line. i

15. A subscribers station equipment, 1n: eluding a signal-receiver, asignaling-generator, and switching mechanism operated by thesignaling-generator and serving to conitrol the association of thetelephone with the 16. A subscriber s station equipment, inbluding asignal-receiver, a signaling-generator, and switching mechanism operatedby the, signaling-generator and serving to control the association ofthe telephone, signalreceiver and generator with the line.

17. A subscribers stationequipment, in-

eluding a signal reeeiver, a signalmg-generator, and switching mechanismoperated by the signaling-generator and serving to control theassociation of the telephone and Sigrial-receiver withthe line. I

i 18. A subscribers station equipment, including a signal-receiver, asignaling-generator, and switching mechanism operated by thesignaling-generator and servqng to control the association of thesignal-receiver and generator with the line. c a

19. Substation apparatus for party telephone-lines including switchingmechanism, a detent for holding the switchin mechanism in the osition towhich it has een actuated, and e ectromagnetic mechanism include. ing asignal-receiver for the substation, and" serving to operate the saidswitching mechanism, to permit the detent to engage the same and forreleasing thedetent from connection electromagnetic mechanism'forreleasing the detent from connection with the switching mechanism,including a signal-receiver,whieh I receiver serves to operate theswitching mechanism, to permit the detent to engage the;- same.

21. A telephone-exchange system, includoma plurality of subscribersstations to an exchange, each of said subscribers stations having asignal bell or receiver, a signaling-generator, switching apparatus forcontrolling the association of the signalinggenerator andsignal-receiver with the line, selective mechanism overning the saidswitching ap aratus an serving, when in an unselecte condition, toeffect dissociation between the signaling-generator and. the line, and,when in a selected position, to bring about the association'of saidsignaling generator with the line, and apparatus at the exchange foroperating the selective mechanism at the different stations, whereby theswitching apparatus at the different stations may be operated to placethe signalinggenerators thereat in connection with the line.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 25th day of April,A. D. 1905.

EDWARD A. BUELL.

Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG,

LEON STRon.

